YES Press Releases
Let the Competition Begin!
60 students will travel to Washington D.C. to compete for scholarships of up to $50,000
March 21, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the College Board today named the 60 high school juniors and seniors who will compete for scholarships of up to $50,000 each in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition, one of the nation's largest and most prestigious high school science contests.
The YES Competition seeks to spur students' interest in epidemiology - the branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease among populations. The 60 Regional Finalists were chosen from almost 650 entries, and will travel to Washington D.C. to take part in the regional and national competitions to be held April 8-11.
"In only its second year, the YES Competition has already become one of the nation's largest and most prestigious science competitions for high school students," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "This year's competitors showed an impressive understanding of health threats that we face, while demonstrating problem-solving skills and creative ideas required to address them. We can't wait to see the places they will go and the things they will do to make a difference in this world. "
A total of nearly a half-million dollars in scholarships are awarded each year through the YES program. While the highly competitive scholarship contest focuses on epidemiology, application of the research skills used in the YES Competition extends far beyond that field, says Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board.
"The kind of higher-level thinking skills that students need to succeed in college and in life are also the skills students will need to be successful in this competition," said Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. "The College Board is pleased to partner with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in this very important initiative."
In Washington, the finalists will be judged on the basis of their written reports, oral presentations and question-and-answer sessions. Of the 60 finalists, the two top students will each be awarded $50,000 college scholarships, while the remaining competitors will receive scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $35,000 each.
The YES finalists are coming to the nation's capitol from 35 states. The most popular categories for this year's finalists are:
- Nutrition, Obesity and Related Conditions (12 entries)
- Asthma (5 entries)
- Sleep (4 entries)
- Cardiovascular Health (4 entries)
- Cancer (4 entries)
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves, because when it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 4,700 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three and a half million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. For more information on the College Board, visit www.collegeboard.com.